THBBloomBlogDaisies-

The Thistlebend winter/spring study, Heart of a Woman, came to a close a few weeks ago. We were given several great options to continue to study God’s Word until our summer study begins. Since the Heart of a Woman study revealed to me how much of my sinful thoughts, actions, and behaviors are rooted in fear, I felt the Lord leading me to choose an interim Bible Study called Fearless, which focuses on replacing fear with FAITH.

Today, one of our focus Scriptures was 1 Samuel 2:1-10, which is known as Hannah’s Prayer. Hannah’s story is one of grief, but also of triumph. She was married to a loving man, but she was unable to have a child, and so she was deeply grieved. On top of that, her husband had another wife who was able to have children, and she maliciously taunted Hannah. Yet Hannah trusted the Lord. She cried out to Him in her affliction. And in time, God answered her prayer. He granted her a son – Samuel — who grew up to be a great man of God. Hannah praises God for who He is and what He has done for her. She gives God all the glory for the gift of her son.

As I spent time with the Lord this morning, I thought about how beautiful Hannah’s faith was and how she trusted God. The Bible tells us that Hannah’s heart was grieved, for she did not have what she most desired. But she did not fear. She trusted that God would hear the cries of her heart.

So…I went on my way for the day. I was busy most of the morning. I finally had a chance to check my texts and was shocked to read that that my husband had received some very disappointing news. Our insurance had denied authorization for a medical procedure he badly needs. Scheduling the procedure had been an answer to prayer. Everything had lined up in ways that only the Lord could have ordained. Then, suddenly, unexpectedly, the path we were on crumbled away – and no other path is in immediate sight.

It was after processing this news and praying about it that I remembered my time in my Fearless study this morning and recalled Hannah’s Prayer:

“How I rejoice in the Lord!
How he has blessed me!
Now I have an answer for my enemies,
For the Lord has solved my problem.
How I rejoice!
No one is as holy as the Lord!
There is no other God,
Nor any Rock like our God.”
(1 Sam. 2:1-2, TLB)

I was reminded that God will solve our problem, in His way, and in His time. His timing is perfect! He is sovereign over everything: doctors, insurance, medical procedures, schedules. He alone is God. He holds the world in His hands. He will make a way for my husband to be healed according to His will.

Our God is so great! He lovingly and graciously gave me Hannah’s Prayer this morning to prepare me for a difficult predicament later in the day. Hannah’s example helped me avoid my default “what if” negative thought pattern. What peace there is in the truth of who God is!

Like Hannah, I proclaim: “How I rejoice in the Lord! How He has blessed me!” (1 Sam. 2:1, TLB).

Growing in Grace

THBBloomBlogGerber

Abba Father,

You are all powerful. You are the Mighty Creator of the heavens and earth. You created everything from nothing with just a word and you sustain all things by the word of your power.

Thank you for your Word. Thank you for calling me by name, and your calling on my life — calling me out of darkness into your marvelous light! I was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. I didn’t save myself, rescue myself, or deliver myself. I didn’t restore my own sight. I deserve to drown into eternal flames and darkness. Forever punished for my crime of high treason. Thank you, merciful Father!

Please establish the truth of your Word in my heart! Grow my understanding of your Word and strengthen my faith. Only you can do these things. I wait on you. I will choose today to be still and know that you are God and believe that no purpose of yours can be thwarted and that you are good! All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness.

In the powerful name of my risen King Jesus, Amen.

Learning to Live in the Garden of Grace

THBBloomBlogSunflower

I met a man who enjoyed his job so much that joy radiated out of him. He made me think, do I show my love for the Lord like this man shows his love for his job? “And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself'” (Luke 10:27). Loving God sounds so simple and yet I make it such a difficult task. Putting God first and building my relationship with Him daily is all it takes for my love for Him to grow daily! Instead of hungering after material things, I should be hungering after His Word. My passion should be focused on the Lord and not on the world. In everything I do, I should be honoring God. By rightly utilizing everything God has given me, I will be honoring him. When I use His talents He has bestowed upon me, sharing His Word and loving on others, I am showing God that I love Him! My relationship with God should be the most important relationship I have. His love shall always abide in me when I have it in my heart daily.

Showered in His Love